Crate



Oct. 17, 1933. N. -T. McKENZlE ORA F iled Feb. 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l I r/F .II

N. T. M KENZlE j CRATE Oct. 17, 1933.

Filed Feb. 11. 1931 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmehiot flea) Ti taclenzie Patented Oct. 17, 1933 CRATE Neal '1. MacKenzie, St. Paul, Minn., minor to General Timber Service, Inc., St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application February 11, 1931 Serial-No. 514,984

I 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an inexpensive crate of the collapsible type.

It is my object to reduce the cost of crates of this kind and at the same time increase the strength thereof by a novel arrangement of devices for connecting the several sides at the corners. v

A further object is to provide a strong, collapsible crate which requires a minimum of time and labor for its construction and in its erection from collapsed form. Another object is to connect the several sides of thecrateby short metal bands or other thin, flexible strips which are largely concealed so that there is a minimum of said bands or strips on the exterior of the crate where the usual fastening devices are exposed.

A still further object is to provide a crate of this type having substantiallyclosed corners to efliciently' protect the machinery or other goods, wares or merchandise contained therein.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the four. sides of my improved crate, laid flat, as for shipping in knocked-down condition and showing the inner surfaces of said sides;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the complete crate;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary, enlarged sec tions taken on the lines 44 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a corner joint before the same is bent to box form;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line '7--7 of I Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section through a corner of the erected crate; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the corner where a flap of the metal strip is secured to the exterior of a longitudinal member.

My crate has four similar sides and a top and bottom. Each side has a pair of longitudinal members 10 which are secured by nailing to the fit in interlocking engagement with each other when the sides are folded or bent to box form. To resist forces in either direction longitudinally of a corner, a pair of projections 12 on one side extend between a pair of the projections 13 on the contiguous side. In. other words, the projections on one side confine the projections on the adjoining side against movement either up or down (longitudinally of the corner) when the crate is in use.

At three of the corners 14 of the crate short metal strips 15 are secured between the exterior surfaces of the members 11 and interior surfaces of the members 10, nails 16 for connecting said members together being driven through the strips 15. It it thus evident that the members 15 constitute hinges secured to the ends of the members 11 for connecting the sides of the crate together at three of the normally vertical corners. At the fourth corner of the crate metal strips 17 (similar to the strips 15) have flaps 17a secured between the members 10 and 11 of one side and flaps 17b secured to the exterior surface of the member 10 of the adjoining side, suitable nails 18 being driven to o make the latter fastening.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the bottom of the crate has members 19 and 20 extending in spaced parallel relation to each other and connected by transverse slats 21. The members 19 and 20 cross the crate. between one pair of members 11 at the bottom of the crate, with the members 19 abutting against the inner surfaces of. the other pair of members 11. The slats 21 have ends which rest on the upper edges of a pair of the members 11 and nails 22 maybe driven through the members 11 into the members 19 and 20 to retain the bottom in place.

The top of the crate is preferably formed from three parallel members 23 and 24, two transverse members 25 and two diagonal members 26 all suitably secured together by nails. The ends of the members 25 and 26 overlap the upper members 11 of two of the sides and the members 23 and 24 fit into the .top of the crate, being secured to the inner surfaces of the members 11 by nails 27.

Obviously the dimensions of the several members of the crate may be varied to meet the requirements of the particular machine or other merchandise to be shipped, but the crate is designed for economy in the amount of material used. Thus the members 9 and 10 of the sides,

21 of the bottom, and 25 and 26 of the top are preferably constructed from much thinner material than the other members of the crate. For example, a large class of machines and other merchandise may be shipped in crates in which these last mentioned members are constructed from wood veneer about one-quarter of an inch in thickness and two to five inches in width while the other members of the crate are preferably from three-fourths to one inch in thickness and one and one-half to two inches in width.

During the manufacture of the crate the four sides are connected together by the metal strips 15, a, nailing machine'being employed to simultaneously secure the longitudinal members 10 to the members 11 and to fasten the strips 15 and 17. The flaps 17b project, as shown in Fig. 1, at one end of the structure comprising the four sides and before folding to box form the projections 12 and 13 are out of engagement with each other. The crate is shipped from the manufacturer, for filling by the user, in the knockeddown, compact form consisting of the four sides connected together and the separate top and bottom. To erect the crate, the four sides may be wrapped or folded to tubular form around the crate bottom and merchandise to be protected or the machine or merchandise may be inserted after completing'the sides and bottom of the crate. The free edges of the sides are finally connected together by bending the flaps 17b upon the outer surface of the member 10 of the adjoining side and then driving the nails 18. As the four sides are folded to box form the projections 12 and 13 move to interlocking engagement with each other so that in the finished crate shearing forces directed longitudinally of the corners (which would otherwise be applied to the strips 15 and 17) are opposed by the pro-' jections on the members 11 at the corners. The

' top and bottom are fastened by driving the nails cient to securely retain the crate elements in closed position. The corners of the machine or merchandise within the crate are efficiently protected by the members 10.

It has been found that where metal binding members are allowed to project on the exterior of the crate they are apt to interfere with free movement on conveyors and sometimes cause damage to clothing or injury to the hands of the workmen handling the crates. My metal strips are substantially concealed from view, only the flaps 17b of the strips 17 being exposed on the exterior of the crate. Thus the crate has distinct advantages over crates having metal binding members projecting on the exterior and presents an unusually trim, finished appearance.

The crate has the further advantage of being easy to open without breaking any of the metal band fastenings. The nails 22 and 27 are easily disengaged by withdrawing the sides outward while straightening the strips 15. Thus after merely removing the nails 18 the sides may be withdrawn from the top and bottom for the removal of the contents and if it is desired to use the crate repeatedly it may be returned to the shipper in collapsed form.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent A crate having in combination a plurality of sides composed of oblique and longitudinal and transverse, spaced members, short strips of flexible sheet material connecting said sides together at the corners of the crate, said strips being confined between the outer surfaces of said transverse members and the inner surfaces of said longitudinal members at said corners and interlocking ends formed on said transverse members to resist forces directed longitudinally of the corners, the ends of said transversemembers being cut away at one side only and all of said ends having similar projections and shoulders.

' NEAL T. MACKENZIE. 

